


soft and spicy

by tenderwrites



Series: White Eagle Café [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Banter, Cats, Fluff, Friendship, Kissing, M/M, Meet-Cute, Texting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 13:04:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18522097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenderwrites/pseuds/tenderwrites
Summary: It's yet another brilliant day at the lovable White Eagle Café, with coffee cups knocking and mornings spicing up for salarymen and weary students alike. Hayato is more than happy to help the bustling 9 am crowd get their coffee or tea fix, but sometimes, life just isn't cut out for merely working a part-time job you love to death.Meet Taichi, who is a Year 1 Nursing student deep in the depths of grasping the concepts of diseases, symptoms or whatever went on the caverns of the human body. Hayato truthfully didn't know a thing about that elusive course, but what he did know that he was literally falling head over heels for that very attractive boy.(If this was what getting himself a boyfriend took; well, he'll be up for just about anything. But damn, this was complicated.)





	soft and spicy

**Author's Note:**

> Well, we're back here again with the hardly regular scheduled content from me! This time it's Kawanishi and Yamagata who I've been itching to write about for so long, especially concerning the painful lack of content of them both and my rabid desire to seek out rarepairs in just about any fandom. My love for Shiratorizawa and all of its players (I'm even looking at you, Yunohama) will never die, and you have my promise on that. 
> 
> School has started for me, so expect updates at irregular timings! I've also finished reading Mob Psycho 100, so who knows? You might get some Shimazaki or Minegishi; probably the two of them if I'm honest. 
> 
> (Who even reads this thing, anyway? I'm sure as the sky, because I skip to the juicy content myself too.)

If Hayato was granted the choice to subject himself to any kind of prison sentence, he would have lasted one second behind bars and would instantly think of any possible way to escape.

But, seeing as the situation was occurring in the present moment and not in the metaphorical sense, he couldn’t simply use a prison analogy to describe his current situation. Or any other analogy for that matter, because it was much more complicated than that. Business was a roaring success in White Eagle and they had customers streaming in and out of the café every other day, but the fact was, it had its shortcomings. Ever since Plan ‘get the two idiots to realize they are head over heels for each other’ had been flawlessly carried out into action, Hayato’s had to endure the _passionate_ stages of a budding relationship, and to make matters worse, he couldn’t exactly leave Eita and Kenjirou be in the middle of working hours.

So yes, maybe he was trapped in the eye of the storm that made up their relationship. A storm that consisted of stolen glances at each other, fidgeting hands that had an insatiable greed for physical contact, and hearts that longed to beat besides the other. The only form of solace Hayato could derive from the suffocating hours he described as work was the constant equations, or people, with Eita tolling behind the counter and Kenjirou the same with his mathematical-looking books.

Honestly, he definitely wasn’t the poster person to reject young love, especially if it blossomed between his friends. However, the pair had a constant need to be near the other, which only reminded Hayato of his hopelessly _single_ existence. He was sure of the fact that he had some luck in high school, as he did keep a lover or two for a considerable amount of time. Although his relationships didn’t have the same kind of spark as described in the manga Satori brought him, he held onto his experience and beliefs that love would soon be searching for him once again.

But as he peers out from his spot at one of the café tables, his eyes land on a very ruddy-cheeked Kenjirou, and already, he’s _dying_ to go home. The brunette has finished studying for the day, and even though Hayato admires the tenacity he has for schoolwork, the same does not go for how easily he’s flustered by Eita’s words (or actions, he would rather _avoid_ that at all costs). He ducks into the staff room and there the perpetrator of the two slouches in a plastic chair. Sighing, Hayato pours himself some water and sits across from Eita, nudging the other with his shoe to divert his attention from whatever juicy conversation he was smiling at.

“Wha--Hayato? I thought you were closing up the café.” Genuine questioning eyes are cast his way and he faceplants gracefully onto the table, his frustrated groaning muffled by the plastic surface, which makes Eita sit straight up in his seat. “What’s wrong?”

Hayato’s frowns down at the translucent surface mirroring his miserable frame, and his slicked-back hair has a few hairs he can’t be bothered to smoothen down. “I--Ugh. Look, the thing is, seeing you and Shirabu flirt back and forth with each other and being all lovey-dovey isn’t really doing well for me.”

“So, you’re saying that we shouldn’t date...?” A quizzical eyebrow raised, Eita seemed absolutely appalled by the mere mention of it.

“No, that’s not what I mean. It’s just--I feel miserable whenever I see you two interact. Single problems, you know?” Eita’s eyes are rough around the edges, but for this moment, they soften and he stretches to place a hand on Hayato’s shoulders.

“Well, I _was_ single until recently, I met Kenjirou. And even that was a chance encounter. But regardless, you still deserve to find someone that’s deserving of you.” Hearing oh-so-philosophical words being offered to him, the brunette looks up forlornly and rubs his shoulder.

“...There isn’t exactly anyone ‘out there’ for me, Eita. If you’ve noticed from your loving endeavours with Shirabu, I’m single and somewhat ready to mingle, but you haven’t got anyone of my type barging into the café just yet.”

“Alright then, what’s your type exactly?” A smirk breaks the thin line that defines Eita’s mouth and he crosses his arms in a very matter-of-fact way, which shows that he means business. “I already know you don’t just swing one way, so what traits do you like in a person?”

Well, that was one question that always had Hayato baffled. People around him had always defined their type using traits such as hair colour or adjectives, but using easy one-word terms had made him think that they were simply pigeonholing. Pursing his lips, he thinks that he would prefer someone who could listen to him and give him the time of day. The matter at hand was complicated and needed further thought, he concluded, after staring at the water cooler for a good five minutes.

“I don’t know, to be frank. What about you?” Hayato throws his arms up in the air resignedly and instantly regrets asking Eita that question when an unmistakable gleam of adoration crosses his eyes.

“Soft brown hair, intelligen--"

“Alright, I’ve heard enough! I’m going home to wallow in my loneliness.” Tugging off his apron and flinging it at Eita, Hayato slings his backpack strap over his shoulder and heads towards the door. “Have fun with Shirabu by the way; he’s been staring at the staff room door for god knows how long.”

A soft “He has?” is heard as the door clicks shut and he pays no mind to it. Hayato bids a weary goodbye to Kenjirou and the café and his sneakers soon shuffle against the asphalt of the sidewalk. As he leaves the familiar rows of shops and eateries behind, he takes a turn away from the heart of the district and is met with a comforting sight. There lies a rustic park with fauna easy on the eyes and worn-looking benches and this very environment had served as the place where he’d spent most of his childhood. He did grow up and live here for most of his days, after all.

Glancing towards the sky highlighted by slightly orange hues, Hayato supposes that relaxing in the park for a few minutes wouldn’t hurt. Moreover, there was a purpose to him taking some time to sit in the centre of it all; he had animal friends he needed to pay a visit to.

Sure enough, as he eases himself to sit down on a bench overlooking the small stream running through the park, a black cat with a white stripe running down the middle of its fur greets him by brushing against his leg and it looks up at him expectantly. A warm smile adorns his features and he strokes its chin, humming as he does so. He did name the good-natured animal a long time ago, and every once in a while, Hayato wishes he could have kept Seaweed for himself. But after seeing it roam freely in the park, he decided against it. After all, life was less interesting without being welcomed by an animal that appreciated your presence at the end of each weekend, and he didn’t want to trap the little troublemaker in his apartment.

He had to do something about his current relationship status, though. Nevermind the social media updates or the upholding of his pride; he realised that after getting his friends together, he was lacking the excitement and drama of a relationship. It all sounded so horribly clichéd, and Hayato could only wring his head dry of such fantasies.

It wasn’t that he was lacking any number of suitors either. College gave him plenty of options, and he had been confessed to a few times before. However, each time Eita asked him about his relationship prospects, he would simply turn a deaf ear and say that he wasn’t interested. That much was true; they were either people who were too intense or didn’t give much thought to things.

Sighing for what felt like the umpteenth time that day, Hayato stares at the feline curling in and out between his legs.

“You have no idea what I’m going through right now, buddy.”

\---

Sunday is an optimal time for coffee and people experienced in the art of relaxation to stop by White Eagle for some time to themselves or the people they accompany, and Hayato’s feeling the full brunt of it. He’s sure Eita is too, but he’s too preoccupied with checking off orders and wiping sweat from his brow to pay much attention to his surroundings. He was convinced they weren’t going to make it when Jin had swooped down quite metaphorically like a bird of prey and helped them out. In reality, he had gone to the café to check out the accounts. As soon as he chanced upon the situation they were in, their dependable manager had put on an apron like it was second nature to him and started whipping up drinks to ease their workload.

As he leans against the counter sipping from his own latte, Hayato can’t help but snicker proudly to himself. White Eagle might have earned business by their trademark latte art and delicious treats, but they also had a master barista as their manager. He’d thought he had scored an amazing weekend job, but as he interacted with the others, it was made all the more perfect.

“What are you laughing to yourself for?” Jin grins, leaning beside him as the last of the orders are churned out and all of them can breathe easily once again. “I thought you were pretty miserable yesterday.”

“Yeah, but--Wait. How do you know that?” Hayato stands up rather suddenly, almost knocking his head against the low-hanging cupboards. Shifting to a position where there is minimal risk of spillage, he watches the brunette with his interest piqued. In his mind’s eye, he can only blame the pair that were accompanying him that day.

“It’s old news by now, but gossip spreads rather quickly. Your culprit is now waving frantically in front of the windows.” Jin lets out a breathy laugh and goes to greet Satori, whose hair, for some rare occasion, now hangs uncontrolled in front of his eyes. It gives him a somewhat mundane look but doesn’t compensate for the fact that the redhead is a wildcard of energy even in the mornings.

“Well, you know him. But I’m alright now.”

Washing his hands, Hayato waits for the burst of volume that signifies the provocative giant’s entrance. The last time he had been here, the café was packed to the maximum and he had been the target of a rather inconsiderate audience, but even White Eagle’s regulars had grown accustomed to his presence. After all, who didn’t like Satori’s enthusiastic tones? He himself admired the way his close friend could randomly sit down in front of one of the regulars tables and start up a lively conversation, even if it sometimes seemed one-sided.

“Hey, Satori. What brings you here?” Jin’s met with a warm smile and he ushers the redhead inside to a table snugly tucked away into a corner near the counter.

“Hayato, Jin! Just the people I wanted to see, minus Eita who’s probably off in Lover Boy Land. Well, I just needed to tell one person the good news, but that’s not the point. You see, I have this friend of mine that likes coffee, so I introduced White Eagle to him! He’s coming to meet me soon, so I figured I would arrive early and announce the news first.” Satori talks in a whirlwind of words and all Hayato can catch is the main message.

On the other hand, Jin looks somewhat perplexed and he repeats after Satori, “So, what you’re saying is that you’re going to meet someone here, on the basis that they like coffee?”

“Right on the money, smartypants! He’s quite the good guy too, and I’m sure Hayato will appreciate his...other external features too.” In an instant, he catches the attention of whoever’s interested.

“Are you saying…” Hayato trails off, an expectant eyebrow raised. Talk about opportunities; Satori had presented one right in front of his doorstep. The opportunist himself shrugs playfully and turns around as his best friend emerges from the back of the café, and Satori all but shocks Eita half to death by running towards him at top speed. For the sake of the ash blonde’s safety, he stops abruptly just to tower above him with wide, innocent eyes.

Satori’s only mock haunted house participant lets out an exhale of relief, and he smiles amusedly. “Good to see you, Satori. How did the exhibition go?”

“It went swimmingly! I think I outdid myself this time.” He beams with pride. “But let’s not talk about me. We certainly missed _you_ in your honeymoon phase. How’s that going by the way?”

Despite his eagerness to meet that special someone Satori had mentioned, Hayato sniggered at that; the two best friends could have amused him to no end and they would still be bantering back and forth.

“Oh fuck off with that. Kenjirou’s not here today; he has an examination to take.” Satori sags a little for show, then perks right up as he sniffs the air made up of fragrant scents wafting from every direction. He’s staring at the treats lining the front of the café and without further thought, Eita is already ducking behind the counter to prepare his order. “You want your usual, right?”

“Yup! You always know how to read me, my dearest Eita.” Satori settles comfortably into one of the chairs around the circular table, running a hand through his hair instinctively. The chief barista snorts, swiftly presenting a plate with a bagel delicately placed upon it and a cup with golden rim outlines filled to the brim with hot chocolate. At this, the redhead gleams and digs in, his bangs unable to shield the thrill reflected in his eyes.

Unable to keep the questions to himself, Hayato brushes past Eita and slides into a seat next to Satori. Wolfing down his breakfast, the matchmaker waits silently but expectantly. Judging by the ghost of a smirk on his face, the brunette figures that the art student is _dying_ to be asked for details. Unfortunately, Hayato most likely won’t get any specific traits unless he partakes in a deal.

Fair enough. He had no talent for business affairs, but he certainly knew how to work his way with words to get the information he needed.

“You look like you want to ask me something, Hayato.” Sipping his hot chocolate, Satori simpers with glee. Damn him; the redhead played the role of a provocateur incredibly well.

However, this was Satori he was talking to, and he always had the brunette’s back one way or another. “You got me there, Satoricchi. There’s no use hiding it, especially with you around. Anyway, what does this guy of yours look like anyway?”

Stuffing the last of bagel into his mouth, the provocateur exclaims dramatically, “Such impatience is unbecoming of you, young man! He’s coming in two minutes and here you are begging me for his looks!” He tuts and waves a finger in the air for added effect. The barista chuckles.

“Of course. We all know how desperate I am, but I’m sure it’s no surprise that you act the same for ol’ Wakatoshi. After all, you walked in here with your hair down; how’s the bedroom adventures going for you?”

Trump cards always felt so good to be dealt out, and as Hayato marvels at the sight of cheeks turning as red as crimson hair, he agreed wholeheartedly with that statement. Utterly defeated by his friend, Satori sags his shoulders and sips on his hot chocolate defeatedly. The student has been beaten by the master; he has triumphed and he celebrates by cheering for himself.  

“...Tsk. You’re a sly one, aren’t you? Fine. He’s about the same height as me and has blond hair. Satisfied?” The redhead sits there, still astounded, before gradually breaking into a small smile.

“ _Very_. I learn from the best after all.” The barista grins and pats his friend’s head for his hard work. “Thanks again, Satoricchi.”

“You’re welcome!” Satori almost screams loud enough for all the café patrons to hear, and the skin around Hayato’s eyes crinkle as he smiles broadly, and heads back to the counter to prepare himself for the arriving guest.

Tall and blond, huh? He was either the epitome of ‘good guy’ syndrome or was a gentle giant who could be adorable at times and terrifying when provoked. Resting his head on the back of his palm, the barista thinks to himself that he wouldn’t mind the second option at all. Fumbling with his rolled-up sleeve, he watches the day go by outside for a moment. There’s a middle-aged woman walking her Golden Retriever along the pavement and a few vehicles going down the street, but no sign of Tall Blondie or anyone of that stature.

Well, he could wait. There were more urgent matters to attend to, such as the customers heading towards the shop and a shift to work.

As he straightens his posture and greets the few customers that stream in, he busies himself with making coffee. Peals of the café’s familiar bell chime and he listens to its familiar rhythm while easing himself into one of his own. Being a barista was akin to a dance; a strenuous one of learning about coffee and meeting customer demands all while staying somewhat amicable. Emotions would run high and coffee would spill every once in a blue moon, but in some strange definition, White Eagle was home to Hayato.

All his friends congregated there, after all.

His reminiscing is short-lived as he hears a loud greeting from Satori himself and breath hitching in his throat, Hayato looks up in realization.

“Glad you could make it, Taichi! I was almost convinced you got lost on the way!” Immediately, the barista’s heart leaps out of his chest. Standing at least 10 centimetres above him, the boy who he had been expecting had an _unexpected_ calming aura about him and he had messy, light blond hair that seemed to give off a radiance of its own. His expression was the archetype of neutral, but nothing seemed neutral about the outfit he wore. It was laidback and appeared comfortable at first glance, and screamed that the boy currently talking to Satori had good fashion sense.

Needless to say, he liked denim now.

“It’s a short ten-minute walk from school, Tendou-san. You even gave me directions.” He quickly realizes that he enjoys the sound of that voice, but he spots Eita in the corner crossing his arms knowingly.

_Does he go to my school?_

“My my, Taichi! Cut back on the snark, would ya? I wanna introduce you to the baristas who work here. One of them brewed the coffee that I brought you.” Slowly, Taichi shifts his attention to the counter, his eyes widening a fraction. Hayato thinks that they could have been used to browse through novels, with the way they show no expressive emotion in mundane situations and remain quiet. However, the gaze that is on him is far from expressionless and he finds himself getting transfixed.

Eita clears his throat and the illusion of floating in space is broken.

He recounts back to a few days ago when Satori had ordered his usual hot cocoa, together with a cappuccino-to-go.

“The person he’s referring to is Yamagata Hayato right here. He’s well known for his coffee brewing skills but I’m sure you know that by now. I’m Eita Semi by the way.” The barista internally curses the other for putting him in the spotlight, but a smile plays at the tip of Taichi’s lips.

_Happiness looks good on a boy like him._

“Nice to meet you, Semi-san. Shirabu’s told me much about you.” The smile finally breaks through and the tension in his shoulders disappears like visible wintery breath to the wind. In the background, Eita makes a shocked noise at this discovery, Satori is cheering for whatever reason and Jin is smiling at the events that are playing out, but Hayato could care less about all of those non-committal details with the gorgeous boy in front of him.

_He likes cappuccinos, doesn’t he? Maybe I can give him one on the house when Eita’s not looking._

“Satori, would you mind giving us the full introduction? It speeds up the whole ‘getting to know one another’ process.” All eyes are on Hayato now, as he leans over the counter and projects an air of confidence outward. While feeling a strange sense of commotion stirring in the pit of the barista’s stomach, Taichi’s hand instinctively goes to rub the back of his neck and he stares down at his boots, a seemingly pink hue under his eyes.

“...It’s Taichi, Taichi Kawanishi.” Long fingers graze fibre-thin hairs out of nervousness and the barista feels his own heart being played with as if it were a piano. His smile grows even wider and Hayato laughs, a sound of delight rising from the warm alcoves of his belly.

“Nice to meet you, Kawanishi-kun! What can I get you?”

\---

Speaking eloquently and gently was an ability that Hayato did not possess, and this was a fact that he had established for himself since childhood. He was also brash and sometimes gesticulated when talking passionately, but that wasn’t the main point. Truth was, Taichi seemed to have the traits that he didn’t and appeared to be the personification of a gentle giant who was charming and _adorable_.

In a very clichéd manner, he was the missing puzzle piece that had come to complete him. If that was what Eita had meant by his type, he had certainly hit the jackpot when it came to getting to know him.

That very understanding had him staring off into space, a goofy grin plastered onto his face. Even as the soft rays of evening sunshine filter in through the café windows and casts a shadow over him, he remains undisturbed by the environment around him. By sheer effort on Hayato’s part, he’d managed to get Taichi’s number. As he relaxes in the aftermath of the day’s labour, Hayato rests on the table and reopens a conversation on his phone for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day.

  


_Score._ He had managed to get Taichi’s number, message him without making a fool of himself and even secured another meeting with the boy. Hayato was all set for tomorrow. Just yesterday, he had been fretting over love’s woes and lamenting to a friend who knew close to nothing about a relationship, even though he was in one.

Sighing blissfully, his head is packed full of imaginary scenarios of him and his ideal boy until Satori scares him half to death by sliding into a seat in front of him forcefully.

“What was that for, Satori? You almost had me thinking there was a thief!” The barista clutches his apron firmly from shock and all the redhead does is offer a smirk and points a shrewd finger at him.

“Me? A thief? Don’t be ridiculous, Hayatoot. The only thief here is Taichi, who’s obviously stolen your heart. Your lovesick expression tells me all I need to know.” With the truth of his heart finally deduced and laid out in the open, all of the blood rushes to his cheeks. Initially, he had wanted to attribute his hammering heart to the jumpscare offered by Satori, but he was relentless in getting his friends to announce their ethereal desires in the form of attractive individuals. Frankly, Hayato was powerless in the face of a _love guru_.

He leans back in his seat, resigned to fate.  

“...You’re right. He’s stolen my heart, and I have no idea how to steal his.” The brunette whines, officially out of ideas as to how he could put himself out on the market and make himself seem suitable romantically. Honestly, how did anyone get into a relationship in the first place? Love was needlessly complicated, and he had his fair share of such experiences.

Something about Taichi felt different to him, though. He just couldn’t decide whether it was the hair or the absolute _snack_ that Taichi was.

“Glad you came to terms with it, ya doof! So, tell me, what do you like about him? It’s the tired eyes, isn’t it? You always liked the extraordinary, anyway.” Akin to a proud mother, Satori jumps out of his seat and ruffles the barista’s hair, but even his ruined undercut did little to bother him at this point. It wasn’t a moment of lightning-like realization, nor was it all that unexpected to him.

Hayato was in _love_ with a boy named Taichi, fit into a very familiar scenario complete with all the requirements of falling in love at first sight.

“I’m in love with Taichi.” He mutters absentmindedly, cheek resting on his hand and eyes full of new knowledge found.

“We’ve established that fact, yes.” The redhead smiles, his face crammed to the seams with unbridled joy. “You’re in love with him, the same way Eita and Kenjirou are.”

“...His eyes aren’t tired. They’re thoughtful and he always looks like he’s thinking about something complex. Also, is that really true?”

_What? Did I just say that out loud?_

The other raises his hands in understanding and attempts to grasp hold of the situation once again. “Figured you would say something like that. But anyway, that _is_ true. You stare at him openly and notice things that others don’t, which pretty much equates to love by today’s standards. Well, my standards, anyway.”

Satori hums earnestly.

“So, any sights on the romantic horizon yet? You go to the same university as him, right?”

“Yeah, he takes nursing...” Hayato’s tone drops a few octaves and he finds himself slipping away into his own imagination, which consists of rare smiles and hidden flushed faces. Since when did a small smile of Taichi’s appear so blinding?

“Earth to ‘Yato! We’re losing you on this train and it is going off-route!” Satori snaps his fingers in front of the barista, hesitating to speak in favour of narrowing his eyes at him. “...Hang on, you _know_ his course? Have you been talking to him?”

Having been forcibly removed from his own limitless sea of thoughts, a nod is given as an answer. Satori gasps, entirely scandalized. He stares mercilessly into the barista’s face with pupils as big as dinner plates, demanding an answer at once. “You’ve been talking to him and you didn’t even tell me? For _shame_ , Hayato!”

The loverboy in question snorts and leans back in his chair nonchalantly. “It was just messaging back and forth, which hardly counts as talking. But the good news is: he’s asked me to lunch, right here in the homely Eagle!” He holds his hands out, posing like a winner.

_Wait, shouldn’t I have been the one to ask him? How does this work, anyway?_

The rear legs of his chair teeter precariously on the carpet, supporting his weight. Ages ago, his own mother would have ruffled his locks affectionately and would promptly remind him to sit up straight to maintain a good posture. But now, he was basking in the after-hours of the café and watched as his redhead friend paced back and forth from one end of the establishment to the other.

Then, the wave of realization dawns upon Satori and he sits back down, hope brimming in his eyes.

“Ya know what, Hayatoot? There’s a ninety-two per cent chance that you’ve stolen Taichi’s heart as well. Why? Go on, ask me the reason.”

“Woah, what the? Are you sure about that?” Pulling on the ends of his apron, Hayato noticeably reddens. As incredulous as he was, there was an inner voice inside his head yelling at him that this would change his life forever.

Or it would be simply Satori, that was muttering at very loud volumes beside his ear.

“Yes, I’m very sure! It’s simply because number one, he gave his number to you so easily upon you asking. Heck, I had to badger him for two whole weeks just to have him send me a measly text about where the school library was! Still unconvinced? He asked you on a date of his own accord! The Taichi I know stays at home and reads books to his cats. Not ask handsome baristas on dates!” Satori exclaims, his hands waving about frantically in the air. “He probably thinks your eyes are dreamy and that you’re _impossibly_ sweet. Damn, Wakatoshi is, but I don’t know about him.”

All at once, Hayato falls off his chair with a satisfying crash that has the redhead rushing to his side. Cheeks thoroughly flushed and heart beating with a ferocity that he had never experienced before, he’s officially down for the count. Satori shakes him to help him regain his senses, but all he can think about at the present moment is whether Taichi loves him back. He had never considered that reserved and _very_ attractive nursing student Taichi Kawanishi to regard him in such a manner, but would he be oh so ecstatic if that were true.

“Hayato! Oi, Hayato! Hey, you alright? You fell pretty hard. Did what I say get to you too much?” Even after the brunette gets up and massages his back ruefully, the redhead circles around him sheepishly, a hand on his friend’s shoulder to steady him.

“...Nah, I’m good. I’m good. Actually, thank you.”

Satori glances at him as if he’s gone mad for a second, then throws back his head and laughs without abandon. “What for?”

“For telling me all this. Even though I might not be sure how he feels about me, I know what to do now.” As he’s saying this, Hayato glances wistfully towards his phone. Plans of how to formulate his words would come later, but he’s relieved that he has finally put a name to his feelings.

“Oh, no. Please don’t tell me you’re thinking what I think you’re going to do. You’re going to confess, aren’t you? Hayato, you’ve just met the guy and you already want to _confess_? This is not Frozen! You aren’t the younger sister of an ice queen and you’re not marrying a reverse villain prince.”

“He looks like a prince and I intend to marry him someda--” Satori effectively shuts the barista up by shoving his cap into his face.

“That much is true, but Christ, you sound like a Disney princess. Wait a while to get to know him, alright? Start with lunch. Or you two will inevitably crash and burn.”

“Hmn.” Hayato gives an affirmative grunt and he can’t help but agree with the fact that Hans had betrayed Anna after they’d met not too long ago. He wasn’t a princess, but even he could resonate with Satori that confessing straightaway would only scare Taichi off.

“Attaboy, Hayato! Get yourself a boyfriend! Slowly!” Satori slaps him on the back and he splutters for a bit, before breaking into a flurry of laughter.

 _I will,_ proclaims every fibre of the barista’s being and he returns the favour by messing up the other’s hair artfully.

"Let's get me a boyfriend!" 

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
